Vestax have been in the DJ Midi Controller game for some time. In fact that’s an under-statement! It’s fair to say that Vestax were the early pioneers of professional DJ controllers, their VCI-100 setting the benchmark for what has now become the ubiquitous standard in digital deejaying.
Of course today every manufacturer of DJ gear has a range of controllers and they are all forced to compete in what is a fairly restrictive market. I say restrictive because there really is only so much a manufacturer can do to separate his product from the competition since at the heart of all the functionality is the DJ software that is being controlled. Which is what makes the VCI-400 a fascinating new addition to this somewhat saturated market.
What is it?
Building on the solid foundation and indeed the legacy of the VCI-100, the concept behind the new VCI-400 is a controller with no boundaries. Basically this means that any software with a midi learn function can be controlled via this device. The product does however still come bundled with a special 4 deck version of Virtual DJ LE.
Looking closely at the controller you may notice that only the obvious non-negotiable controls, buttons, sliders and rotaries are labelled, the rest being left blank. This is deliberate by Vestax as the controller is designed to cater for every DJ program currently available. Included in the package are blank overlays which fit neatly over the controls that can be custom assigned by you, depending on what you want to do.
If this sounds like too much work, do not fret; a quick pop over to vestax.com and you’ll find several pre-designed overlays ready to download too, so should you already have a program like Traktor 2 for example, you can simply download this and place over the controller. A Traktor 2 tsi file (a file that hosts specific mapping and is transportable between users) is also available for download should you wish to simply load and play. Using midi learn and programming one’s own settings may only appeal to advanced users looking for some personal customisation.
Quality Control
Whilst Vestax documentation is famously cryptic at the best of times the build quality of their products is undisputedly good. The VCI-400 is no exception and is certainly in the top echelon of solidly built, professional controllers. From the torque adjustable and sensitivity controlled jog-wheels (I love the simulated vinyl grooves on their platters) to the large red aluminium filter knobs, the smooth sliders (tempo and channel) and the responsive rubberised buttons both in the transport and sample/hot cue section, the VCI-400 certainly looks the part for the professional digital DJ.
Ergonomically I really like the layout too. It is true that one can only do so much with the layout; each device will always need a mixer section, transport section, jog-wheels etc but where to place some key controls will definitely influence how much one uses the extra features digital deejaying affords one such as looping, hot cues and FX. The VCI-400 scores big in this department.
In Use
I tested the VCI-400 with 3 applications; the bundled 4 deck Virtual DJ software which worked straight out the box and is easy enough to operate. Although it is a 4 deck version – and the VCI-400 includes 4 channel sliders, it is still an LE revision so don’t expect all the bells and whistles to be in the software.
I also tested it with my own Traktor 2, configuring it for 2-channels plus sample decks. The downloadable tsi file works perfectly despite one small idiosyncrasy where one has to set the in-port and out-port manually in the Controller Manager to get a response from the unit but once this is done, its plain sailing. I also did some basic mapping in Ableton Live 8 just to see the potential of having a ‘blank canvass’ type controller at one’s disposal.
Verdict
Whilst most will want instant gratification with the device auto-mapped to your DJ software, the added benefit of quick and easy midi mapping for programs like Ableton or to simply customize one’s own DJ software integration does add that extra something to the VCI-400. The build-quality, layout and functionality is indisputably good making this new controller a very good prospect alongside the other professional DJ controllers available today.
Supplied by: Rolling Thunder | 021 557-8630 | www.rollingthunder.co.za
Suggested Retail Price: R 11,750.00 incl. VAT
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